Analyzing and controlling epidemics is a very important issue when governmental agencies and health authorities wish to contend with their distribution. The existing methods for analyzing and simulating tracks of epidemics and infectious diseases are based on statistical and stochastic models, and the epidemiological analysis is generally made using a standalone computer with inputs obtained mainly from official health organizations. The output of existing methods is used to propose estimations regarding geographical areas that are subject to an infectious threat. However, the accuracy of such methods is low, since the existing models are not utilized in real-time, are not based on personal data and cannot be used as an effective operational system, and since they cannot assess the mobility and interaction patterns of a person that is carrying the infectious disease. As a result, health authorities are not able to receive an accurate real time assessment of the distribution of the infectious disease, which is essential to rapidly take the right decisions and efficient operations to contend with an epidemic. In addition, receiving inaccurate epidemiological data leads to an unnecessary waste of vaccines due to the inoculation of people that are not in a risk of infection, as well as inefficient utilization of health professionals' time, which may be crucial during periods of an epidemic.
All the methods described above have not yet provided satisfactory solutions to the problem of analyzing and controlling epidemics using real-time and personal data.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a system and method for receiving accurate and real-time epidemiological data that can be used to control the spread of an epidemic.
It is another object of the present invention to provide accurate geographical and personal information that allows the health authorities to directly contact suspect carriers.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method and system for allowing health authorities to make right decisions and to conduct efficient operations while controlling an epidemic.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.